[TheDaggle]

I'm looking at an everything bag. Hold my shooting gear, hold my crap when I go on trips, SHTF pack, and also possibly for 3-4 day backpacking trips up the mountain. The one I'm looking at is dirt cheap, big enough, and has some good reviews, but my dad insists I'll be miserable backpacking without a frame. How important is a frame on a backpacking pack, and would a frame be a big detriment for other applications?

This is what I'm looking at

"advanced expeditionary pack"

[Benning Boy]

We used to get where we had to go, and then ditch the frame.

I didn't see it listed in the specs, but many of these have internal frames.

[IGETEVEN]

A frame will depend on how much weight you want to carry in the bag and be comfortable. Mainly, if you are planning to load out the bag heavy to 25 pounds or more, a frame would be advised for comfort and weight distribution.

[Rick1967]

If it is for overnight back packing, I like a frame pack. I have a small tent wrapped in a sleeping mat lashed to the top of my frame and a sleeping bag lashed to the bottom of the frame.

[lonyaeger]

I don't back pack any more, but when I was a Boy Scout and did a lot, I had to have a frame. Judging from the looks of the pack in the photo, I think Dad's right!

[mrm14]

I dont exactly know how the backpack dipicted in your post is supposed to be used. With external frame or without external frame. Most of the backpacks that have been designed over the last give or take 20 years or so are "soft back" framed. They have a built in frame of sorts that in my opinion are far superior to the older hard frame designs especially in comfort.

I used to have a external metal frame pack back in the 1970's and recently I bought a 70 liter Osprey Aether backpack, as a few of my buddies from back in the day want to go to some of the places that we used to go to before we get too old and can no longer physically make it. We figure as a group most of us have about 10 to 15 years left to do so. Some individuals in our group maby even longer. Regardless, the most important thing we seek in new gear is comfort in it's use.

The main thing I've noticed in a few trial trips with this new backpack up to and on the PCT and in Desolation Valley, is that the most of the weight rides on the small of the back and on the hips which reduces the felt weight of the pack on the shoulders. This makes it more natural to stand upright and not have to lean foreward as with the older external frame pack I had in the 70's when carrying weight. It makes the weight I carry (36 lbs.) feel lighter and makes traversing up and down steep inclines much more comfortable.

Heres a couple of pics of that Osprey Aether 70 backpack loaded to pretrip weight of 25 lbs. At trip weight, with bear canister of food, mummy sleeping bag, and a few specialized lite weight hiking clothes, my pack weight is between 36 and 37 lbs. This will keep me self contained for all my needs in a solo manner for a good 7 to 8 days of hiking and camping in the comfort I want. Oh, that brown tube strapped to this pack is my fly fishing rod. Catching fish (usually trout where I go) can extend the duration of food supplies that I carry in the pack.

[canebrake]

+1 mrm14, my pack looks very similar to yours!

As a Scoutmaster for years I have put several miles of backpacking on the trails.

Without a doubt the most comfortable pack I've used is a LowePro Soft Pack!

A week trip to Isle Royle National Biosphere that requires minimum impact camping (pack out everything brought into the park) found me with a 65# load with many redundant items for insurance.

Many complaints were lodged about backpacks on that trek but my LowePro was not one of them!

[mrm14]

Originally Posted by canebrake

+1 mrm14, my pack looks very similar to yours!

As a Scoutmaster for years I have put several miles of backpacking on the trails.

Without a doubt the most comfortable pack I've used is a LowePro Soft Pack!

A week trip to Isle Royle National Biosphere that requires minimum impact camping (pack out everything brought into the park) found me with a 65# load with many redundant items for insurance.

Many complaints were lodged about backpacks on that trek but my LowePro was not one of them!

Cane, these newer design soft back packs like you and I have ,which actually have an intergral frame, are so sweeeeeeeet when compaired to the packs of the past.

I've run the weight of this pack up to 62 lbs. on one trial trip to see how it would fare such a weight and how the pack felt to me. There was little to no difference for me in this level of pack weight than with the 36 lbs. or so that I try to keep to and this pack works great unto itself with this added weight as well.

As far as minimum impact camping goes, IMO, this should be practiced by everyone that goes into the wilderness for hiking and camping. We usually pack out alot of other peoples crap that they have left behind. It really ticks me off that some people leave their trash behind from their treks.

[Angry_bald_guy]

Originally Posted by canebrake

+1 mrm14, my pack looks very similar to yours!

As a Scoutmaster for years I have put several miles of backpacking on the trails.

Without a doubt the most comfortable pack I've used is a LowePro Soft Pack!

A week trip to Isle Royle National Biosphere that requires minimum impact camping (pack out everything brought into the park) found me with a 65# load with many redundant items for insurance.

Many complaints were lodged about backpacks on that trek but my LowePro was not one of them!

Can I get a link to one of those bags Cane?

[IGETEVEN]

OSPREY Aether 70 Backpack - Eastern Mountain Sports